This simple and Easy Vegan Pesto recipe is fresh, oil-free, just 6 ingredients and takes just a few minutes to prepare. Healthy and wholesome with lots of fresh basil and pine nuts!
EASY VEGAN PESTO
I have always loved pesto. I love it even more with it is a healthy pesto, as well as being extremely simple and easy to make with only a few ingredients. This easy vegan pesto is oil-free, unlike traditional pesto, which has crazy amounts of oil.
This recipe comes from Emily Von Euw and her cookbook, The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook. As Emily describes it, “A balance of Raw and Lightly-cooked, Gluten-free, Plant-based Meal for Healthy Living”.
Emily’s blog, This Rawsome Vegan Life, is extremely successful and even though she is known for raw food, I love that this book has a ton of cooked recipes. I do not follow a raw diet, so this fits more into my daily lifestyle and eating. Emily is also known for her simplicity, which you all know I love and focus on as well with my own recipes.
Her book contains over 80 recipes, all accompanied with a beautiful photo, and very easy meals. They are all heavily focused on the simplicity and beauty of veggies. The meals are light, not heavy, so they won’t weigh you down. There are a ton of completely raw recipes and also a lot of lightly-cooked recipes. If you check out Emily on Instagram, you can get a pretty good idea of the type of food you would see in her cookbook! Light, fresh, easy and simple.
I was immediately drawn to this oil-free vegan pesto that I’m sharing with you today because I loved how easy it was and I LOVE basil. Oh, and I LOVE pasta and wanted something more on the filling side. This has a strong flavor from all of the fresh basil and bold flavor of pine nuts.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Fresh basil
- Pine nuts
- Garlic
- Pasta: I used gluten-free penne, but use whatever you like.
- Grape tomatoes
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon juice
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN PESTO OIL FREE
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut all the tomatoes in half and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are bubbling and slightly wrinkled.
Step 2: Cook pasta according to the package directions.
Step 3: To make the pesto: blend all the ingredients until you reach the desired consistency. I wanted mine completely smooth. As noted above, I also added lemon juice and nutritional yeast. Add more salt if needed
Step 4: Toss pasta with the pesto and serve with the roasted tomatoes.
MORE VEGAN OIL FREE SAUCES
- Vegan Chimichurri Sauce
- Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce
- Texas BBQ Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Vegan Lemon Sauce
- Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Creamy Chili Sauce with Pasta
Emily is allowing me to share this beautiful recipe for her cookbook with you all today! You can purchase a copy of her cookbook here!
Easy Vegan Pesto (Oil-free!)
Ingredients
- 1 dry pint (275g) grape tomatoes
- 2 cups (232g) uncooked whole grain, gluten-free penne pasta
- 2 cups (48g) lightly packed basil leaves
- 1/4 cup (60g) water
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt
NOTE
- While the recipe in her book didn't call for it, I added more ingredients for more flavor. I added a little bit of nutritional yeast and lemon juice to mine as well. I like them in my pesto. Add to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut all the tomatoes in half and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are bubbling and slightly wrinkled.
- Cook the pasta according the package directions.
- To make the pesto: blend all the ingredients until you reach the desired consistency. I wanted mine completely smooth. As noted above, I also added lemon juice and nutritional yeast. Add more salt if needed.
- Toss the pesto with the cooked pasta and garnish with extra basil and serve with the roasted tomatoes.
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I definitely love nice cream with chia seeds and cacao!
Yummy pesto! One of my favorites. I had not thought of using water and no oil at all! Beautiful with the tomatoes, too!
This is exciting, as I am trying to incorporate more lightly-cooked and raw foods into my diet! I love raw desserts, but I need to expand beyond that.
Raw desserts are the best!!
My favorite raw food? GIANT RAW SALADS for lunch! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Raw just about anything! Raw brownie bites, raw strawberry pie (see a theme here? dessert!), lovely raw salads! This recipe looks so delicious!
Brandi, your photos are gorgeous!!! I’m a HUGE fan of pesto (AND pasta) so I know I’d love this. Nothing better than lots of fresh basil! I love that you added some nutritional yeast – I do the same when I make pesto. I love Emily’s other books, so I can’t wait to check this one out! When we used to eat mostly raw, we were all about homemade raw chocolates and loaded veggie salads. Great review, my friend!
Aww you are so sweet Mandy! Thank you so much, so glad you love these photos!! Mmmmm, yes, raw chocolates!!
This dish looks so good! I love raw desserts so much!
Emily has great recipes! So simple and delicious!
I am new to raw food except for smoothies (which I love)
I love love love salads!! Thank you for the chance to win this great cookbook and I cannot wait to try this pasta! 🙂
I haven’t yet focused my attention very much upon raw vegan, so I don’t have many favorites at this time. However, I love my “overnight oatmeal” breakfast which I eat every morning! (I’ve been eating it EXCLUSIVELY for about 3 years now, every single day, simply because I LOVE it, and it gives me so much energy, plus I know it’s nourishing my body so well.
Here’s my recipe, just for fun, for anyone out there who’s curious. Try it, you’ll love it! . . .
10 g. (approx. 1 T.) SEEDLESS RAISINS
4-5 g. (approx. 1-1/2 to 2 tsp.) RAW WALNUT PIECES
7 g. (approx. 1 level T.) FLAXSEED MEAL
2 oz. (1/4 c.) UNSWEETENED SOY MILK
6 oz. (3/4 c.) WATER
1 medium-to-large BANANA
70 g. (1/2 c.) FROZEN BLUEBERRIES
70 g. (1/2 c.) FROZEN STRAWBERRIES
70 g. (1/2 c.) FROZEN DARK SWEET CHERRIES
1 tsp. GROUND CINNAMON
1 dash each: Ground (each) Coriander Seed, Clove, Nutmeg, Allspice and Ginger
Mix together thoroughly in a container with a tight lid, seal and refrigerate at least 6-8 hours.
NOTE: I also love raw bananas, cut into bite-size (1″) pieces, and frozen, for a quick “raw snack”!
Hello incredibly creative, talented and beautiful Brandi, and ALL THE REST of you sweet, wonderful people….
I’ve only been subscribing to this SPECTACULAR website/blog for a few months, and have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!! And the other day (Jan. 9th) was my very FIRST time posting a comment and, well, I must’ve been on some other PLANET that day as I forgot to include the OATS in the recipe for my favorite RAW recipe!!!….Anyway, for anyone saw it the other day and thought I must be some kind of WACKO (actually, that’s sorta true…hahaha!…but only in a fun, silly way…I think!…haha!), AND who may have found that little recipe of mine interesting, and wanted to try it, here it is again, INCLUDING the amount of the oats! (I’M SOOOOO SORRY ‘BOUT THAT OVERSIGHT BRANDI and all you other GALS & GUYS!!!)
DARYL’S FAVORITE RAW OVERNIGHT BREAKFAST
40 g. (1/2 c.) OLD-FASHIONED OATS (dry, uncooked)
10 g. (approx. 1 T.) SEEDLESS RAISINS
4-5 g. (approx. 1-1/2 to 2 tsp.) RAW WALNUT PIECES
7 g. (approx. 1 level T.) FLAXSEED MEAL
2 oz. (1/4 c.) UNSWEETENED SOY MILK
6 oz. (3/4 c.) WATER
1 medium-to-large BANANA
70 g. (1/2 c.) FROZEN BLUEBERRIES
70 g. (1/2 c.) FROZEN STRAWBERRIES
70 g. (1/2 c.) FROZEN DARK SWEET CHERRIES
1 tsp. GROUND CINNAMON
1 dash each: Ground (each) Coriander Seed, Clove, Nutmeg, Allspice and Ginger
Mix together thoroughly in a container with a tight lid, seal and refrigerate at least 6-8 hours.
Pesto is one of my favorites for adding to pasta or even to use as a pizza topping. We have to do without the pine nuts, due to a nut allergy, but sunflower seeds have been a great substitute.
Pesto is my favorite. Because my husband does not share my fondness for pesto, I won’t have to share this dish!
I love soups. Any weather. Any time!!!
Banana ice cream or raw buckwheat porridge
I just have to get my hands on a copy of this book. I love Emily’s blog. She is an amazing recipe creator. This pesto looks so good and I love the tomatoes with it. My kind of dinner!
Perfect timing Brandi! I was just about to make pesto and then I saw this post and decided to go for it. Result: No regrets! Worked perfectly and easy to so, I also added the lemon juice and some nutritional yeast as you recommended, yum! Oh and we had too little pasta so my sister ended up having a pesto toast instead and worked that way too 😀
Awesome Milla! So glad you liked it! Yes, the nutritional yeast and lemon juice really made it to my liking! 🙂
Raw desserts are my favorite!
The pasta looks amazing and I can hardly wait to try it. As for the cookbook, it sounds totally what I’m looking for as I’m new to this way of eating. Thank you for the recipe!
I love basil too and pesto is the best. Looks like the perfect meal!
Pesto is my favorite! I freeze basil I grow in the summer for a treat in the winter.
I can’t stop making vegan Mac n cheese with butternut squash!
I love gazpacho.
Oooh… I love Emily’s recipes and photography heaps. I think you’ve done her recipe justice — beautiful dish <3
I am so loving this book too. I don’t follow a raw diet, but I sure love to incorporate raw foods – this is the best of both!
Love the tomatoes with the pesto, I’d never think of it but totally want to try it. You make it look absolutely delicious! 🙂
My fave raw dessert is anything blended with nuts and dates. Like quality cocoa powder, sea salt, Oats and cinnamon.
I am very excited about this! I’ve been following Emily for years and they have grown to be such an amazing person! I couldn’t be happier or prouder and own their 2 other cookbooks!
Adding this penne pesto to the queue for recipes to make! My favorite raw recipe is a creamy vegan caesar dressing. Just throw a handful of ingredients in the blender – so easy but so flavorful!
Yum, this cookbook sounds great! I am totally with you, I prefer cookbooks that have meals for the whole family, rather than desserts and snacks etc 🙂 Love the sound of this pasta, yum! My favourite thing to eat raw is salads, simple but delicious
Salads are my favorite!:)
I love Emily’s recipes. They always look so beautiful and tasty! 🙂
Congrats to Emily on her new book. I absolutely love pesto. Thanks for the delicious recipe! 🙂
I’d have to say that smoothies would be my favorite. =)
My favorite raw meal would definitely be salads. So easy and so many choices!
Raw Desserts, esp raw carrot cake!!
I love raw desserts. I don’t make them very often, but I’m a fan of raw cashew-based cheesecakes.
I love to make salads. They are my favorite raw foods!
Tasty dishes can be simple too!! Deffo my kinf of recipes 🙂
The photos look amazing again, well impressive. Love the wooden table! But I’m not so sure about the table napkin. Isn’t it a little rough on the lips? ;-)))) (I knowwww I think to practical, sorryyy)
Thank you so much Hauke! That is just a decor fabric, not a legit table napkin, haha!
This looks so creamy!! Love how easy the recipe is! <3
I am a big fan of spinach salads.
Watermelon Gazpacho and raw brownies!
My favorite recipes are baked ones & raw desserts because baking is a skill that I just cannot wrap my head around. It still feels like magic to me! I don’t need recipes to cook & am a full house of inspiration upon opening the fridge for dinner, but baking still stumps me! (Mostly because I don’t measure anything…. maybe that has something to do with it :P)
My favorite raw recipes are most definitely salads with a great variety of vegetables, seeds, nuts, and fruit. I love when I can fill a bowl and remind myself to eat mindfully and appreciate the variety of tastes from all the foods. It is a great treat to be able to eat a lot of healthful food that is actually good for me, especially in this season after the holidays.
Really easy and tastes great! I definitely recommend the lemon juice and nutritional yeast addition!
Awesome Lis! Yes, I agree. Her base recipe is good but I prefer more flavor so that’s why I recommended those additions!